North AmericaBathroom News

May 2011

International Market Strategy

Topics

World 2011 Preliminary Plumbing Reports Available Immediately!USA Foreclosures Are Down, but Not for LongUSA HOUZER Announces Partnership With SCHOCK GmbHUSA FERGUSON Reports Revenue GrowthUSA Fitch Predicts a Saw-Toothed RecoveryUSA Some Signs of Life in HousingUSA U.S. New-Home Sales Rise 11.1% in MarchUSA Remodeling Activity Improving In Many MarketsUSA Where All the People WentUSA The Royal TreatmentCanada Bank of Canada Announces Bank RateCanada March 2011 PHCP Wholesalers' Sales Report Up 12.2%Canada Conservatives Win, Election Gets Less US Attention

International strategic market research and consultancy on building product and related market

1 2011 World Plumbing Reports Available Immediately!

1 April 2011-- BRG has published its updated preliminary reports on the2010 plumbing/bathroom markets in many countries of the world. To obtain a copyof these ‘product summaries and forecasts’, please contact our building productsdivision at bpstaff@brggroup.com.

The following reports are available immediately, both in pdf format and in our newENTERPRISE database system:

2011 Baths Market Reports(countries covered: USA, France, Germany, UK, Italy,Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic,Turkey). Bath materials covered in the US report include:

-          Cast Iron

-          Steel

-          Acrylic

-          Gel-Coat

-          Other Composites

2011 Shower Trays Market Reports(countries covered: France, Germany, UK,Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Russia, CzechRepublic, Turkey). Shower tray materials covered in the reports include:

-          Ceramic

-          Synthetic

-          Steel/Cast Iron

2011 Shower Systems Market Reports(country covered: USA, Canada).Products covered in the report include:

-          Acrylic Integrated Bath/Showers

-          Gel-Coat Integrated Bath/Showers

-          Shower Modules

-          Shower Trays/Pans

2011 Sanitary Ware Market Reports(countries covered: USA, France, Germany,UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Czech

Republic, Turkey). Products covered in the reports include:

-          Ceramic Sanitary Ware

-          Plastic Cisterns

2011 Faucets, Taps and Mixers Market Reports(countries covered: USA,France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden,Poland, Russia, Czech Republic, Turkey). Products covered in the reports include:

-          Sanitary Taps and Mixers

-          Kitchen Taps and Mixers

2011 Shower Wall Products Market Reports(countries covered: USA, France,Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Poland,Russia, Czech Republic, Turkey). Products covered in the reports include:

-          Shower Enclosures and Bath Screens

-          Shower Kits

2011 Hydrotherapy Market Reports(countries currently available: USA, France,Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Poland,Russia, Czech Republic, Turkey). Products covered in the reports include:

-          Hydromassage Baths

-          Hydrotherapy Cubicles

-          Combined Products

-          Shower Panels/Towers

To obtain these product summaries and forecasts, a table of contents, or for moredetails about the report contents or our new Database, please contact us atbpstaff@brggroup.com

Other regions and countries that we are covering this year:

The Middle East:

- Saudi Arabia

- UAE

- Bahrain

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- Oman

- Qatar

- Kuwait

Other Countries in the Americas

- Mexico

- Brazil

- Argentina

- Chile

- Columbia

To receive more information about the products covered in the MiddleEast and South American (or other country) reports, the publication dates on these,or for further questions, please contact us at bpstaff@brggroup.com

Source:BRG CONSULT NORTH AMERICA

Foreclosures Are Down, but Not for Long

13 April 2011-- Foreclosure activity fell dramatically in the first quarter of 2011,dropping 15% from the previous quarter and plunging 27% from where it stood inthe first quarter of 2010. One in every 191 U.S. housing units received a filingduring the period—the lowest level the nation has seen in three years.

Unfortunately, these overly optimistic numbers won’t last long.

“Weak demand, declining home prices, and the lack of credit availability areweighing heavily on the [housing] market, which is still facing the dual threat of alooming shadow inventory of distressed properties and the probability thatforeclosure activity will begin to increase again as lenders and servicers graduallywork their way through the backlog of thousands of foreclosures that have beendelayed due to improperly processed paperwork,” said James J. Saccacio, CEO atRealtyTrac, in a statement Thursday.

And those backlog-clearing wheels have already begun to turn. Although the 50states’ attorneys general are still working on hammering out a deal with banks overbad foreclosure practices, yesterday federal regulators announced that they hadreached a deal with eight of the largest U.S. mortgage servicers, bringing bankscloser to being able to kick foreclosure actions back into high gear.

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Already foreclosure activity has begun to pick up: March saw a 7% increase infilings from the month before.

“It looks like it will take another quarter to work through all the process-relatedissues,” wrote Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac, in an email toBuilder. In the mean time, he expects to see “a gradual increase in foreclosureactivity over the next three months while these issues get resolved and the backlogof files goes through the process, then see levels increase and level off for thebalance of the year.”

To put that in perspective, Sharga says that the country averaged about 227,000foreclosure actions each month for the first quarter of the year, with 72,000 of thosebeing bank repossessions. Once the paperwork and other regulatory issues havecleared, he expects that number to jump up to 300,000 foreclosure actions amonth, with bank repossessions accounting for between 90,000 and 100,000 ofthose filings.

Source:www.builderonline.com

HOUZER Announces Partnership With SCHOCK GmbH

15 April 2011-- HOUZER, Inc. and SCHOCK GmbH, of Germany, are partnering todistribute SCHOCK granite sinks in the United States. After a soft launch at the2011 KBIS Show in Las Vegas, distribution and sales of the sinks under the sub-brand SCHOCK HOUZER is planned for summer 2011.

 This partnership joins the manufacturers in their respective categories—stainlesssteel and acrylic granite—resulting in a key product extension to the existingHOUZER line of stainless-steel, hand-hammered copper and pewter sinks. TheSCHOCK HOUZER offering will feature a new generation of granite sinks, whichare made from a material developed and patented by SCHOCK calledCRISTADUR, a quartz and acrylic blend.

"The core values of both HOUZER and SCHOCK have fueled this opportunity,each company holding a top-tier global position in our respective materialcategories in sinks," said Ken Fey, VP and COO of HOUZER. "SCHOCK is knownas the 'Best In Class' leader in the Granite Sink category, and their people andethics are impeccable. Their brand deserves to stand on its own. HOUZER islooking forward to collaborating on new designs and materials for the U.S. marketswith them, and we are extremely proud to have SCHOCK become part of theHOUZER family.”

Source:www.kbbonline.com

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FERGUSON Reports Revenue Growth

25 April 2011-- FERGUSON’s parent company WOLSELEY PLC announced itsfirst-half results for the 2011 fiscal year, reporting revenue increase of 5% on a like-for-like basis.

FERGUSON’s like-for-like revenue growth for the first six months was 9%, with afurther 4% of growth due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. All ofFERGUSON’s major business units generated growth, driven principally by stablenew residential and repair and remodel markets. As well, all major businessescontinued to gain market share in the first half. FERGUSON sales accounted for40% of WOLSELEY’s total revenue.

“We are very pleased with our performance for the first half of our fiscal year,”explained FERGUSON CEO Frank Roach. “It was nice to see year on year growthand out-performance in all of our businesses.”

FERGUSON’s blended branches, which service residential and commercialcustomers, had a strong first half with solid growth, as the remodel markets held upwell. The industrial PVF and HVAC businesses were also strongly ahead. Thecommercial fire and fabrication business, which provides fire protection productsand services, returned to like-for-like revenue growth in the period, althoughcommercial markets generally continue to lag residential markets. FERGUSON’strading margin was 5.5%, up from 4.1% in 2010.

Source:The Wholesaler

Fitch Predicts a Saw-Toothed Recovery

21 April 2011-- With a mixed bag of good news and challenges facing the industry,Fitch Ratings predicts a jagged road to economic recovery for housing withimprovement in the second half of the year.

For every bit of good news about the economy and the state of home building FitchRatings analyst Robert P. Curran delivered during a Monday construction update,there seemed to be an equal and opposite bit of negative data.

In summary, the economic recovery is expected to be “saw-toothed,” up and down,but with a little more up than down. Public builders are reporting an increase intraffic, especially “serious” traffic. Yet home sales and starts are “weak anddisappointing—especially February,” Curran said.

New home prices are relatively stable, but incentives builders are giving to buyersto get them closed are up. Housing affordability is high, but the credit most homeshoppers need to become a home buyer is tighter than it has been in years and islikely to remain that way through much of 2011, he said. Large public builders mayface less competition from smaller builders who have had to close shop, but these

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large builders are also facing more—and continuing—competition fromforeclosures and existing home inventory.

 In February there was 8.6-month supply of existing homes on the market. AndCurran quoted CoreLogic estimates that there is an additional 1.8 million “shadowinventory” of distressed homes that are more than 90 days delinquent onmortgages in the foreclosure process or already bank-owned.

Curran did say some foreclosures might slow as the government works to forcelenders to work harder to communicate and work with homeowners in distress. Theexcess home inventory isn’t the only problem home sellers face now, said Curran.“A negative psychology also remains relatively pervasive,” he said. “For some, theexpectation or fear [is] that home prices are vulnerable to further declines andbuying now might be a mistake.” The trouble is that they might be correct. Homeprices are still expected to fall a bit more this year. “The housing recoverycontinues to be vulnerable,” Curran said.

Yet, all things considered, Fitch is expecting housing metrics to improve by theyear’s second half, if only at a single-digit pace. And the outlook for the publichome building sector is now largely stable. That won’t be enough to make mostpublic home builders profitable this year, said Curran, noting that less than half willmeet that mark by year’s end.

And, there’s not a lot builders can do to increase revenue trends or profitability atthis point, the Fitch report said.

“But they can manage the balance sheets and their liquidity,” Fitch said. “In aperiod when liquidity is still an issue for many U.S. companies, Fitch believes that,overall, the U.S. home building sector currently has adequate liquidity, althoughthere are some weaker companies that face greater risk.”

Source:www.builderonline.com

Some Signs of Life in Housing

25 April 2011-- CHICAGO (Reuters) - Like an increasing number of well-heeledAmericans, the Hodgsons decided it was time to buy a new home, even if most ofthe U.S. housing market remains in the dumps.

After years in an apartment building, "we were just tired of sharing space with otherpeople," says Cari Hodgson, 32. "It was time to have space of our own."

She and her commodities trader husband sold the condo and recently bought a$1.2 million, five-bedroom home in Chicago's north side, sealing the deal with thekind of big down-payment that is heating up the high-end of the U.S. propertymarket. Cari, a part-time nurse, declined to say how much of their own money thecouple put into the house. But she did say the mortgage was less than a so-called

jumbo loan, which are bigger than most U.S. mortgages and currently start at$730,000. That means the Hodgsons put down at least 40 percent of the house'svalue, a chunk far out of reach for most Americans.

"We were told by a number of people that it was very difficult to qualify for a jumboloan," Cari Hodgson said. "So we didn't even try to get one."

Four years after U.S. housing prices began to nose-dive, eventually triggering aglobal financial crisis, signs of life are appearing at the top and the bottom ends ofthe market. By contrast, a sustained recovery remains far off for the vast middleground of the U.S. housing sector. Affluent Americans are feeling more secure asthe impact of the recession fades and the stock market racks up big gains.

"People who have decent income are saying, maybe I can trade up, buy a betterproperty," said Bill Hardin, director of the real estate program at FloridaInternational University. "Some people are even saying, I'm willing to take a loss onthe property I'm selling now to get something I couldn't buy during the housingpeak."

Sales of homes worth over $1 million, which account for about 1.5 percent of totalU.S. sales, have risen in most states so far in 2011. Realtors, brokers and others inthe housing industry report the first bidding wars for expensive homes since thecrash.

"There is a surge of confidence among high-end buyers and we're unfortunatelyshort on inventory," said Pamela Liebman, chief executive of New York propertyfirm The Corcoran Group. Her firm saw a doubling in the sale of luxury co-ops,worth more than $10 million, in the first three months of 2011.

At the bottom end, homes are also on the move as investors pay cash forforeclosed properties to rent them out. It's a different story in the middle of themarket.

Properties worth between $100,000 and $500,000 make up more than 60 percentof U.S. housing. Sales in that category in March were down across every region ofAmerica from the same month a year earlier, when tax breaks were propping updemand. Foreclosures and short sales -- whereby struggling homeowners sell theirhomes for below what they owe, with the consent of their lenders -- are still a bigdrag. Credit remains tight and middle-income families are more pessimistic thantheir wealthier compatriots about the economy.

So this year's Spring selling season, when buyers typically start to look for a homeafter winter, has mostly been a dud. Access to credit is cited as a broad problem.While the rich can simply put more money down, for most would-be buyers theneed for more 'skin in the game' is a deal-breaker. Realtors and brokers complainthat the credit drought is as extreme as the flood of loose lending of the boomyears.

"The pendulum has swung from too far to the left to too far to the right," Corcoran'sLiebman said. "We need to find some balance in lending."

On a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, in Leawood, near Kansas City, realtor TedDeVore patiently waited inside an elegant ranch home priced at $344,900, eager topoint out the lush backyard, new roof, remodeled kitchen and updatedbathrooms. But most of the visitors to the open house were curious neighbors, notwould-be buyers. Middle-income Americans in Middle America are not yet ready toget back into the market. Homes that do sell in the Kansas City area are oftengoing for between 20 percent to 30 percent below the listed price.

"There are so many people questioning things right now, asking themselves, am Igoing to have my job in six months?" DeVore said, affable but seemingly resignedto a slow Spring. "The indicators are very mixed for the whole economy and thereal estate market very closely follows the overall economy." 

"It's hard to be positive," he added.

Unemployment of 8.8 percent in March was down from above 10 percent in 2009but still high enough to worry many Americans. According to RealtyTrac, whichpublishes foreclosure statistics, the number of foreclosure filings fell 27 percent inthe first quarter from a year earlier but still affected nearly one in every 200 U.S.homes. And although the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said existinghome sales rose 3.7 percent in March, the median home price nationwide wasdown 5.9 percent from March 2010.

That has few housing market insiders willing to say the worst U.S. housingdownturn since the Great Depression has played itself out, despite governmentsupport and mortgage interest rates that have scraped record lows. 

"It's kind of quiet right now," said Fred Arnold, president of lender American FamilyFunding. "There's no real excitement out there that we are used to seeing in thespringtime."

Many homeowners who are not obliged to move are staying put and investing inhome improvements instead. Home Depot said it has seen rising consumerdemand for maintenance and repair projects this spring. Despite sellers oftenresorting to painful cuts in their asking prices, realtors say many deals continue tofall through due to the unrealistic expectations on both sides.

"Buyers still think properties are too expensive and want bigger discounts," saidMario Greco, a Chicago-based realtor. "Sellers are still not ready to take theirlumps yet and recognize what their property is worth in today's market."

During the boom, lenders went wild, offering loans with no money down and, inmany cases, no requirement on borrowers to prove their income. Now, access tocredit and hefty down-payment requirements are an issue even for buyers with

good credit, one that realtors and brokers complain is slowing the market.

"It's difficult, and getting more difficult," said Bob Walters, chief economist atQuicken Loans in Detroit. "All the moves whether it be regulatory, underwriting,pricing -- I can't think of an exception -- all of them are pointing toward making itmore challenging to get a loan."

The government-rescued housing finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mactightened up lending standards in 2007 and 2008 as bad loans began to soar andthere has been a steady drip of new requirements since then. More changes tocredit rules are under discussion and could constrain lending further. Keith Klein, amortgage loan consultant at Bank of Blue Valley, a local lender in Overland Park,Kansas, said tougher underwriting standards mean that if prospective buyerscannot put down 20 percent, they cannot get a mortgage.

"We're just not seeing very much right now," he said.

Realtors also complain that credit for first-time buyers has dried up, which has aknock-on effect on the rest of the market as people cannot sell to move up theproperty ladder. As the bulk of the market remains hobbled, the contrast with thehigh end is sharpening.

Mike Sato of Chicago-based Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, cites therecent sale of a $4.5 million home not even built yet as a sign of the change amongrich clients.

"I haven't seen a deal like that since 2008," he said.

Diane Saatchi, senior vice-president at Saunders &Associates Realty whichspecializes in the Hamptons oceanfront strip favored by Wall Street, said she wasseeing a lot of buyers paying in cash for homes worth $10 million.

"There's a pent-up demand on the buy side because people have been waiting fora couple years."

High-end borrowers find it easier to get credit but even for them it is notguaranteed. Matt Farrell, managing partner at Urban Real Estate in Chicago,recounted how a buyer with good credit and seeking a loan for a $2 million homewas unable to secure a mortgage in time. So the buyer wired cash to pay for it withno loan.

"After the banking sector was infused with all that government cash to go out andlend more money, you'd think we'd be seeing more activity out there," Farrell said."But when someone who can pay $2 million in cash can't get a loan, then you knowyou have a real problem."

Source: ca.reuters.com

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U.S. New-Home Sales Rise 11.1% in March

25 April 2011-- WASHINGTON —Sales of new homes rose 11.1% in March, theCommerce Department said Monday, marking a mild improvement from the worst-ever showing as the dampening effect of winter storms and an expiring Californiatax credit wore off.

The still-bleak reading of a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000 representeda 21.9% nosedive from March 2010 levels.

However, the level beat a MarketWatch-compiled economist estimate of 290,000,and February’s low reading of 250,000 was revised up to 270,000.

U.S. stocks were weaker in morning action on Monday, though an exchange-tradedfund tracking home builders saw modest gains.

Analysts had attributed February’s weakness in part to winter storms thatdepressed figures in the East and the Midwest, as well as a California tax creditthat’s now expired. The data in March bore out that view.

Sales in the Northeast jumped 66.7%, those in the Midwest improved 12.9% andthose in the West increased 25.9%, while sales in the South edged 0.6% lower.

“With March sales gaining in every region except the South, the data are anotherreminder that activity readings in January/February were restrained by severeweather. Builder sentiment data and mortgage purchase applications have shownno collapse or subsequent surge,” said Steven Wieting, an economist at Citi.

But by region, sales are between 9.1% and 34% worse than the same period lastyear. The still-high unemployment rate, a glut of cheaper existing homes on themarket and the large number of underwater mortgages have all combined todepress the market for new homes.

“Distressed sales continue to rob demand from new home sales and constructionactivity,” said Yelena Shulyatyeva, an economist at BNP Paribas.

On a three-month moving average —which reduces the month-to-month variancein the hugely volatile release —sales fell to a 294,000 rate from 305,000. TheMarch reading has a margin of error of 21.7%, the Commerce Department said.

The median sales price rose 2.9% to $213,800 from an upwardly revised $207,700in February, though they are 4.9% below selling prices from March 2010.

The average sales price actually fell 3.8% to $246,800, as the number of housessold in the $400,000-to-$499,000 range dropped to 4% of the total from 9% ofFebruary’s total.

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At the end of March, 183,000 houses were up for sale, representing a supply of 7.3months at the current sales rate, down from a supply of 8.2 months in February.

Inventories are now at the smallest level since 1967 after a “relentless slide,” saidDavid Resler, chief economist of Nomura Securities International.

“This lean supply of unsold homes may give builders some hope (however faint)that a pickup in sales will require new construction,” he said.

Source:www.marketwatch.com 

Remodeling Activity Improving In Many Markets

28 April 2011-- According to the National Association of Home Builders'Remodeling Market Index, the remodeling market is heading into recovery with anincrease to 46.5 in the first quarter of 2011 from 41.5 in the fourth quarter of 2010.This marks the highest level for the RMI since the fourth quarter of 2006. An RMIbelow 50, however, indicates that still more remodelers report market activity islower (compared to the prior quarter) than report it is higher.

The overall RMI combines ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators offuture activity, such as calls for bids. Current market conditions for the first quarterof 2011 rose to 46.1 from 43.3 in the previous quarter. Future market indicatorsclimbed to 46.8 from 39.7 in the previous quarter.

“Remodelers report a jump in activity so far this year and have been receiving morecalls for work and appointments,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bob Peterson,CGR, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Ft. Collins, Colo. “However, manyhomeowners are still slow to commit to remodeling due to feeling uncertain aboutthe economic recovery and difficulty obtaining loans.”

Regional break downs for current remodeling market conditions showed growth inall but one area: Northeast 46.1 (from 38.8 in the fourth quarter), South 46.1 (from45.8), and West 46.1 (from 39.7). Only the Midwest experienced a decline to 47.1(from 54.3).

All current remodeling market indicators increased: major additions to 50.3 (from48.6 in the fourth quarter), minor additions to 48.0 (from 43.9), and maintenanceand repair to 39.5 (from 37.0). Future market indicators also improved across theboard: calls for bids rose to 53.1 (from 47.2), appointments for proposals to 52.4(from 43.1), backlog of remodeling jobs to 49.7 (from 42.6), and amount of workcommitted for the next three months to 32.1 (from 25.9).

Remodelers also reported the top reasons prospective customers are holding backfrom remodeling their homes:

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·         Customers think it is hard to get financing (90 percent of remodelerrespondents).

·         Customers have lost equity in their homes (81 percent).

·         Customers are uncertain about their future economic situation (74 percent).

·         Reluctance to invest in home when not sure home will hold its value (67percent).

·         Negative media stories making customers more cautious (62 percent).

·         Inaccurate appraisals are making financing more difficult (54 percent).

“Home remodeling continues to slowly increase and continued growth through theyear is expected,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “The fact that someindicators are breaking 50 means remodelers are seeing improving activity in theirmarkets. While credit scarcity and economic uncertainty continue to weigh downremodeling, signs of increasing consumer interest are promising.”

Source: www.supplyht.com

Where All the People Went

12 April 2011-- 2010 U.S. Census numbers paint a picture of where populationswaxed and waned.

In what may be the first and perhaps the last time that Plato, Mo., has madenational headlines, the U.S. Census has declared a spot 2.7 miles outside of townto be the absolute center of the nation’s population.

If all 308,745,538 million U.S. residents weighed the same and stood where theyresided on a life-sized map of the country in April 2010, the map would balance ona fulcrum at that spot in Missouri.

The fact that the new center of the nation’s population is 23.4 miles southwest ofEdgar Springs, Mo., where it was for the 2000 Census, tells the story of a countrywhose population migrated to the South and West during the decade.

Recently released Census data show that the South’s population grew by 14.3%while the West’s grew by 13.8%, surpassing the population of the Midwest.

Here are a few recently released Census data points of interest:

Southern Stars

The Lone Star State was a population magnet in the last decade. Texas grew by4.3 million people, attracting even more than California, which was the 2000Census' leader after gaining 3.4 million.

Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth together accounted for more than half of the state'spopulation growth. San Antonio, Texas, had its own impressive growth statistic. Itkicked Detroit off the list of 10 most populous places and replaced it as No. 7.

Florida was the No. 3 population gainer, Georgia No. 4, North Carolina No. 5, andArizona No. 6.

Those six states, which were the only ones to gain more than a million people inthe decade, accounted for more than half of the overall increase for the UnitedStates.

Western Stand-Outs

By percentage, rather than actual numbers, Nevada was the fastest growing statein the 10-year period, as it has been for the past five decades. It’s also the onlystate that has maintained a growth rate of 25% or more for the last three decades.

Almost all of Nevada’s growth was, no surprise, in the Las Vegas metro area,which accounted for nearly all the state’s population and almost 82% of its growth.

Midwestern Malaise

While the Midwest’s decline is no secret, the Census numbers quantify the fall. Forinstance, Michigan was the only state that had a declining population in thedecade, losing 0.6%.

South Dakota, which grew by 7.9%, was the fastest growing state in the Midwest,replacing Minnesota, which had been the fastest growing state for the previousthree decades.

Northeast Holds its Own

New Hampshire was the Northeast’s biggest percentage gainer for the fifth straightdecade, growing 6.5%.

New York and New Jersey, however, posted the largest numeric gains in theNortheast, gaining 401,645 and 377,544 people, respectively.

Illinois and Indiana has the largest numeric increases in that region, with eachgaining more than 400,000 new residents.

Suburban Migration

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Chicago was the only one of the 10 most populous places in the country to losepopulation, its head count falling by 200,418, 6.9%, in the decade. Cook County asa whole fared slightly better, losing 3.4% of its residents.

The suburbs, no doubt, absorbed some of those souls. Kendall County, Ill., forinstance, 40 miles outside of Chicago, grew 110.4%, gaining 60,192 people in thedecade. The greater Chicago-area MSA also grew 4%, gaining 362,789.

Some other counties in the Midwestern metro areas also grew by 50% or more,even as their more urban neighbors grew more slowly or declined. These includedDelaware County, Ohio, outside of Columbus; Hamilton County, Ind., outside ofIndianapolis; and Dallas County, Iowa, outside of Des Moines.

The District of Columbia was interesting in the fact that both the Metro area and thesuburbs grew during the decade. D.C.'s population grew for the first time since the1940s, five censuses ago, climbing by 5.2%. Meanwhile, Loudoun County, Va., aD.C. suburb, was the fifth fastest growing county in the nation, growing by 84.1% in10 years.

Source:www.builderonline.com

The Royal Treatment

14 April 2011--In today’s bath, comfort is king.

And that comfort can come not just in the way of physical comfort, but emotionaland sensory as well.

“There are always consumers looking for comforting designs,” observes Gail Drury,CMKBD and president of Drury Design Kitchen &Bath Studio in Glen Ellyn, IL.“This desire is driven by today’s hectic lifestyles and the search for a little bit ofrespite from the everyday chaos.”

Of course, comfort and wellness mean different things to different people, and thatconcept is not lost on kitchen and bath designers.

Mary Nolte, Allied ASID and principal of Mary Nolte Design in East Northport, NYstresses: “I’ve found that the most critical key to developing a sense of wellness formy clients’ baths is to listen very carefully to them in order to get to know the clientsas individuals.”

“It’s essential to learn what my clients’ definition of wellness is and what brings asense of well-being to them,” she continues. “It is equally key, if not more so, todiscover what disturbs my clients and their sense of well-being.

Keeping it Simple

The simplest way to achieve a soothing environment is...well, pretty simple, reportsDrury. The use of soothing colors and clean, uncluttered design elements plays asignificant role.

“The proper flow of colors in all elements in a room and throughout a house createsa sense of well-being in itself,” Nolte reports. “Generally, people feel morecomfortable with softer, neutral, medium-tone colors.”

“While not technically neutrals, greens and other colors can be used in neutralcolored rooms,” she adds.

Common color requests in the bath, according to Nolte, include dark rich browns onwalls. Greens and blues remain popular, as do lighter shades of red.

Leslie Lomont-Relayson of New Orleans, LA-based Cabinets by Design adds: “I’mbeing asked to incorporate basic, neutral colors for cabinets and stone. Color mightbe added through tile or just in the accessories.”

She also notes that she has been receiving requests for simple and clean materialswhen creating her designs. “I think life has become hectic for most of us, and aclean, simple, uncluttered look in neutral colors does provide some sense of calmat the end of the day,” she comments.

“These spaces tend to be of simpler design,” stresses Drury, “and, as a result, theyare more contemporary in feel. ‘Less is more’ definitely fits here.”

Functional Luxury

According to Drury, making a space look calm and uncluttered is one thing; makingit highly functional is another.

“I believe we need to recognize when we are building a Hummer versus a Prius,”comments David Linzer, CKD, CAPS, CGP for Coral Springs, FL-based Designs byDavid L. “Downsizing and using materials and equipment that address energyconsumption, safety and convenience while satisfying aesthetics is the future.Americans face new problems, and while bells and whistles were always the icingon the cake, we need to look at design, space and options through new glasses.”

“Bells and whistles just clutter things up and are not applicable to this type ofdesign,” adds Drury. If the client insists on bells and whistles in this type of space,she offers, it will typically mean multiple showerheads or steam showers. “The bellsand whistles are in the function of the space more than the design,” she continues.

David Schneider, owner, ASID of Schneider Kennedy Design in Wildwood, MO,notes that the desire for an environment that promotes wellness dictates the call forluxury items, whether it be a therapy tub or a built-in coffee center. But he quickly

adds that there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of luxury items aconsumer is willing to include.

“Three years ago, people would include almost anything as long as it was notridiculous. Today, they ask themselves whether they really need certain items andwhether they feel they will get enough benefits from them to justify the cost,” hestates.

“The main request I’m getting is to offer possibilities,” Schneider continues. “Ingeneral, after clients learn about the range of choices that we can incorporate intoa new bathroom, it’s the budgets that dictate the choices.”

“But, people will spend the extra money for the features that help them accomplisha feeling of wellness,” stresses Drury.

Of course, each client is different with regard to what the needs are, stresses Nolte.“Some are happy to have all of the bells and whistles, while others feeloverwhelmed with too much stuff,’ she says.

To promote calm, technology definitely comes into play.

“The new digital shower systems, as well as some whirlpool tubs, havechromatherapy, lighting systems and stereo systems incorporated into them,”explains Drury.

Kitchen and bath designers note that there has been a resurgence in interest infreestanding tubs for soaking. Air tubs are also gaining significant ground as peoplebecome more aware of them. They add to the overall sense of a spa environment.

Drury believes that one of the reasons air baths are popular is because they tend tobe quieter, which also equates to being “more soothing and gentle. These can alsobe done freestanding and do not need to be built into a tub deck, which is definitelymore spa like,” she says.

Designers are definitely finding that their clients want a huge shower and want toeliminate the tub, or they want the best of both worlds and look for both.

Clients will also forego the traditional bathtub and opt instead for a spaciousshower/steamroom. Maintaining health through daily skin detoxification is a sign ofour times.

“The three main things that clients try to incorporate into the final build are luxurytubs, multiple head shower systems and heated floors,” comments Schneider.

Heated floors are one of the top extras that designers are putting in their masterbath designers, along with towel warmers. The warmth of both give that extraelement of comfort, they note.

To that end, Schneider describes a recent master bath that he designed. “Thisspace offered a lot of warmth. The bathroom colors were warm and many itemswere included in the build out to assure warmth, including heated floors, as well asan inline heater on the jetted tub and a bidet seat that automatically heated thewater before cleansing the user. We also made sure that we maintained good lightthrough the window, which warmed the entire environment naturally all day long,”he describes.

In addition to the growing interest in bidets, designers are often sneaking in anelement of Universal Design that provides added comfort, all without thehomeowner being aware of the change. Comfort-height toilets are ADA compliant,and yet are more comfortable for the average adult, according to industry players.They are just the right height for adults.

Lighting, of course, is also a major consideration, according to Nolte. Adjustableand varied lighting create a sense of well-being and set the mood.

Lomont-Relayson agrees, noting that different lighting sources, particularly whenused with dimmers, provide versatility and control in the master bath.

Green Energy

Of course, many clients now define wellness through green-based products, notonly for their personal environment, but for the environment at large. However, theinterest in green products is growing at a slow pace.

According to Linzer, one key for “green designers” to sell these ideas is to offersolutions that improve indoor air quality. “Cabinets made with formaldehyde-freeplywood particle board and finished inside and out with low-VOC finishes” are agreat place to start.

Due to the nature of the bath, particular attention should be paid to moisture andmold. Moisture with nowhere to go just sits atop any nearby surface, blackeningareas and gathering into crevices and making the air unhealthy.

As a result, ventilation fans are becoming much more critical to the overall functionof the room, and health of those who use it. Today’s bath vent fans are designed tooperate at almost imperceptible sound levels, and many provide moisture sensorsor 24-hour continuous options.

Water issues are also a major issue for the bath, with regard to both environmentalconcerns and personal health.

While multiple spray heads and body sprays might promote the feeling of luxuryand relaxation, the amount of water used is an issue that has come to the forefrontin recent times. Manufacturers are now focused on retooling their showerheadsand other water features to meet WaterSense standards and provide low-flow

capabilities.

However, convincing skeptical homeowners that they will get the same sensoryexperience has been challenging. While many want to do the right thing when itcomes to water usage, they don’t want to compromise on the shower experience.Showering today is not solely about getting clean, and fittings suppliers understandthat.

Instant hot water is also a benefit that piques the interest of many people reworkingtheir bath spaces. Incorporating the right thermostatic equipment to provide instanthot water means no more waiting around for the cold water to heat up, and nomore dollars wasted down the drain.

Several showerheads introduced to the market the past few years also providefiltration, an added bonus for homeowners. Since chemicals added to the water canpermeate the skin while showering, wellness in the shower is becoming a concernto many. The smell of chlorine and other unwanted chemicals are controlled bythese fittings, and consumers are taking notice of these products.

“I believe the aging Baby Boomer market, which represents 40% of our population,will require expertise in understanding life’s problems,” remarks Linzer. “Therefore,educating those clients about eco-friendly issues will impact decisions.”

“In time, the benefits of eco-friendly and air quality will become more apparent andin greater demand in the mainstream,” believes Nolte.

Doing Well

For Linzer, one project jumps out as an ideal example of creating wellness.

“I recently remodeled a bathroom for a wife whose husband had developeddementia at the early age of 60,” he says. There were several design elementsincorporated into the space that helped with the challenges the couple faced.

Linzer used specific colors because the client’s color perception was a contributingfactor toward his cognitive problems. For example, the floor of the stall shower hadto be lighter in color so that the client didn’t feel like he was falling into a dark hole.

“The somewhat darker walls also gave him more security,” he notes. “Also, a non-reflective surface on the countertop was achieved by using honed quartz. Thiseliminated glare from the lighting.”

Low-voltage lighting was also incorporated under the toe kick for evening accesscomfort. “Addressing the needs of modern Americans should not be pigeon-holedinto one or two categories,” asserts Linzer. “Our business has become family,gender and age specific, and I think the resourceful designer who really thinksoutside of the box will surpass the competition for all of the knowledge he or shepossesses about creating wellness.”

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Whether it is utilizing green materials, finding additional accessibility for agingclients or simply creating a spa-like retreat from the outside world, kitchen and bathprofessionals are finding that the options for creating wellness in the master bathare as varied and numerous as clients themselves.

Lomont-Relayson concludes: “Ultimately, when a bath functions just the way theclient hopes it will, then that makes their life easier and less stressful. And that, tome, is a sense of wellness.”

Source: www.kitchenbathdesign.com

Bank of Canada Announces Bank Rate

12 April 2011:The Bank of Canada announced that it is maintaining its key policyrate at 1.00%. The tone of the Bank's release was relatively upbeat. The globaleconomic recovery is becoming more firmly entrenched and is expected tocontinue at a steady pace. In the United States, growth is solidifying. Europeangrowth has strengthened, despite ongoing sovereign debt and banking challengesin the periphery. Robust demand from emerging-market economies is driving theunderlying strength in commodity prices. In Canada, growth is rebalancing towardbusiness investment and net exports, and away from government and consumerspending.

The Bank noted that despite the significant challenges that weigh on the globaloutlook, global financial conditions remain very stimulative and investors havebecome noticeably less risk averse.

Overall, the Bank expects Canada's economy to expand by 2.9% in 2011, 2.6% in2012 and 2.1% in 2013.

Headline inflation is projected to rise to around 3% in the second quarter of 2011before converging to the 2% target by the middle of 2012. This short-term volatilityreflects the sharp increase in energy prices and the ongoing boost from changes inprovincial indirect taxes. Core inflation is expected to rise gradually to 2% by themiddle of 2012 as excess supply in the economy is slowly absorbed, labourcompensation growth stays modest, productivity recovers and inflationexpectations remain well-anchored. The persistent strength of the Canadian dollarcould create headwinds for the Canadian economy, putting additional downwardpressure on inflation through weaker-than-expected net exports and larger declinesin import prices.

Reflecting all of these factors, the Bank has decided to maintain the target for theovernight rate at 1.00%

Source: Canadian Chamber of Commerce

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March 2011 PHCP Wholesalers' Sales Report Up 12.2%

29 April 2011: The confidential report produced by the Profit Planning Groupshows that total product sales for March 2011 were up 12.2% or up $48 millioncompared to March 2010. All regions were up except for Atlantic Canada.

Year-to-date all product sales were up 7.7% or $80 million for a year-to-date total of$1,132 billion dollars.

 ·         Industrial PVF had another huge month of growth particularly in Alberta andWest. A big oil sand project in Alberta is driving the pvf number up.

·         Plumbing was up in all provinces with excellent growth in Ontario andQuebec;

·         Waterworks was down. I suspect that the longer than anticipated coldweather and snow had a negative influence;

·         HVAC/R had another excellent month in Ontario and Quebec.

·         Hydronics had a good month in BC and Ontario

Source:CIPH

Conservatives Win, Election Gets Less US Attention

3 May 2011:Amid bin Laden news, Canada's election gets even less U.S. attentionthan usual.

WASHINGTON —Canadian Twitterers who broke Elections Canada laws aregetting almost as much attention in the United States as Stephen Harper'sConservatives finally winning their much-coveted majority amid the historic collapseof the Liberal party.

Still enthralled by the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. Navy SEALS almost 10years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans are paying even lessattention to the political situation north of the border than they usually do, especiallysince Jack Layton's "socialists" failed to form the government.

The Wall Street Journal ran a staff-written story on the events, while theWashington Post posted a story from The Associated Press on its website. TheNew York Times ran the AP piece in Tuesday's print editions.

Other U.S. news organizations had news on the vote, including the Voice ofAmerica.

"The results of the five-week election campaign brought the biggest surprise inrecent Canadian memory," the news outlet reported. "The opposition Liberal Partywas decimated, landing in third spot behind the New Democratic Party. TheLiberals have never had such a disastrous result since the founding of Canada."

Time Magazine, however, had a piece about how "social media-savvy Canadiansdefied a longstanding ban Monday by broadcasting results from the federal electionbefore every last ballot had been cast."

"This is about as dangerous as it gets in the Great White North."

That wasn't the only diehard Canadian stereotype in the piece.

"Chances are the Twitterers needn't worry so much ... Elections Canada seems asdocile and polite as the next Canadian," wrote Time's Hillary Brenhouse, noting thefederal agency only acts on complaints.

The Hollywood Reporter, devoted to entertainment news, even had an item aboutthe brouhaha in the Canadian Twitterverse, as well as the apparent glitch at theCBC that saw the network flouting election blackout laws by reporting resultsbefore 10 p.m. ET.

Given the bin Laden news, Canada-U.S. relations experts say, it's not surprisingthat the Canadian election received even less attention than it would haveotherwise. But that doesn't mean those in positions of power didn't keep an eye onevents and prefer the outcome to a continuing series of minorities or fragilecoalitions.

"The U.S. wants to know what they're getting from Canada, and that there aren'tany surprises," David Biette, director of the Canada Institute at the WoodrowWilson International Center for Scholars, said Tuesday. "Definitely with a Harpermajority, we don't have to pay too much attention to the instability of minoritygovernments."

"In terms of Canada-U.S. relations, it's good to have a stable relationship withoutany undue risk."

Some have pointed out that a Harper majority ensures bilateral energy issues won'tbecome a bigger political hot potato than they are right now, with someenvironmentally conscious Democrats vehemently opposed to both Alberta'soilsands and the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline.

Layton had proposed a moratorium on new oilsands projects until environmentalissues were better managed. The U.S. State Department, meantime, is expected tomake a decision in the fall on whether to greenlight the pipeline.

Most importantly, says Chris Sands, a Canada-U.S. relations expert at theWashington-based Hudson Institute, a Harper majority signals continuing goodwillbetween the two countries.

"When you look at Canada, it's pretty much pro-American, and when I say that, Imean no one wants to blow us up or secede from the continent, and everyoneappreciates the importance of the trade partnership," he said.

"You certainly have some who believe Canada should be diversifying anddeveloping other major trade partnerships, but this election seems to move thingsin the direction of a stronger Canada-U.S. relationship."

Biette says now that Harper has his majority, he'll perhaps worry less about thedomestic politicking some observers believed was behind the prime minister'sdecision to speak so much French earlier this year during a joint televisedannouncement with Obama about border security.

American news networks immediately hit the mute button during Harper's longFrench monologue, returning to their studios to discuss the situation in Egypt.

"What an opportunity he blew," Biette said.

"That's something Americans really don't like _ when Canadians come here and dodomestic politics on a U.S. stage. You just don't do it when you get that kind ofaccess to the president; you don't. The prime minister had a big Americanaudience and he blew a golden opportunity. Maybe now, that sort of thing will be ofless concern to him."

Source:The Canadian Press